They should be able to count up to the number of kids in the class.
A brief description of the "hook" or activity:
Distribute a post it to each kid, and ask them to write down their name on the post-it. Then, set up a blank tally chart on the board with 5 ice cream flavors, and have them choose ONE flavor to put their post-it next to, as their favorite. As a class, transfer this to a piece of paper as a tally chart. Then, do a similar exercise in which the kids put their post-its onto a blank template of a bar graph. Have them create the bar graph on their paper to connect the idea of height with value.
Links to worksheets, interactive widgets, etc (please be as complete as possible here):
http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?id=L79 has a similar activity that does not involve the post-its. It also links to: a blank grid paper which is useful for handing out to the students to help them make their bar graphs; an applet which is useful for you as a demo tool when making the nice-looking bar graph on the board.
Notes on using this lesson / suggested assessment / etc:
Can follow-up by repeating this exercise more independently using different information and less scaffolding.
Use Post-its to Motivate Bar Graphs
Specific topic:
Show kids what bar graphs meanKey terms:
bar graph, category, valuePrerequisite knowledge:
They should be able to count up to the number of kids in the class.A brief description of the "hook" or activity:
Distribute a post it to each kid, and ask them to write down their name on the post-it. Then, set up a blank tally chart on the board with 5 ice cream flavors, and have them choose ONE flavor to put their post-it next to, as their favorite. As a class, transfer this to a piece of paper as a tally chart. Then, do a similar exercise in which the kids put their post-its onto a blank template of a bar graph. Have them create the bar graph on their paper to connect the idea of height with value.Links to worksheets, interactive widgets, etc (please be as complete as possible here):
http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?id=L79 has a similar activity that does not involve the post-its. It also links to: a blank grid paper which is useful for handing out to the students to help them make their bar graphs; an applet which is useful for you as a demo tool when making the nice-looking bar graph on the board.Notes on using this lesson / suggested assessment / etc:
Can follow-up by repeating this exercise more independently using different information and less scaffolding.Credit sources, if any:
This activity is fairly common. Look, even foreign language teachers use this!